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Marcel Louis-JacquesESPN
MIAMI — Despite now not taking part in soccer for almost two weeks, Tua Tagovailoa inspired Miami Dolphins trainer Mike McDaniel along with his center of attention when he returned to the follow box ultimate week.
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion on Sept. 29 in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals and neglected the Dolphins’ subsequent two video games. McDaniel mentioned the superstar quarterback is making ready this week because the starter for Miami’s recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers, including that Tagovailoa is raring to go back.
“He’s laser focused. He’s in his normal mood, but he doesn’t lose attention span at the task at hand,” McDaniel mentioned. “And that’s what I’ve grown to love about the guy. That’s why he’s been able to have some success in a completely new language and system.”
Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol this previous weekend however returned to the follow box for the primary time on Oct. 12. He was once inactive for ultimate Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings however was once at the sideline and have been provide on the Dolphins’ workforce facility since his concussion.
McDaniel mentioned Tagovailoa “fully embraced” his function as a pacesetter over the last two weeks and effectively allowed that function to supersede his need to play.
“He knows that he has to be in the moment for the players that are playing and contribute the way he can,” McDaniel mentioned. “And so, he has been very positive, but I can also tell that like he thirsts for the brotherhood, for the camaraderie, for the competition.
“It was once simply blatantly glaring to everybody round him that he was once lacking out on one thing that he actually loves. And it is a cool factor to determine in an opposed scenario a couple of participant that you simply trainer.”
McDaniel noted that in Tagovailoa’s three practices last week, he took on a supportive role as Skylar Thompson prepared as the starter and Teddy Bridgewater as the primary backup.
McDaniel particularly was impressed with the way Tagovailoa kept focus despite the change in his normal routine.
“What you noticed was once each unmarried play of follow pronouncing the play,” McDaniel said. “After I say it, like he is pronouncing it within the huddle, then staring at the timing of the concept that, staring at the footwork of Skylar, getting excited when best possible method is done — as a result of he is aware of precisely what it seems like. And you then undergo a whole follow, you might be used to being the beginning quarterback, which within the NFL season manner you’re taking each snap when the offense is up. So you get in a regimen the place it more or less is going by means of rapid as a result of you may have all these items happening.
“Well, to see that focus last for the entire practice also speaks to the point that it’s not just about him, his selflessness, which is why he has a unique aura of leadership that people gravitate to because it’s genuine, authentic, and real.”
The Dolphins, mired in a three-game shedding streak after beginning the season with 3 immediately wins, have noticed a pointy offensive decline with out Tagovailoa at the box. Through the primary 3 weeks of the season, the Dolphins ranked first and 2nd within the league in issues according to force and offensive anticipated issues added, respectively. In the time since, they have fallen to twenty eighth in offensive EPA and twenty ninth in issues according to force.
Both Bridgewater and Thompson began video games instead of Tagovailoa, however each have been pressured out in their lone begins because of concussion protocol and a thumb harm, respectively. Dolphins offensive lineman Robert Hunt mentioned after Sunday’s recreation that accidents are “part of the business” of the NFL, and added Monday that whilst getting Tagovailoa again could be galvanizing, they have got a role to do regardless of who’s at quarterback.
“Tua is Tua — Tua is our leader,” Hunt mentioned. “He’s the guy who has been running the show and we’ll be excited to get him back. But exactly what you said — if not, and it’s somebody else back there, we still got to do our job and try to play a game and win a game.”